DNA modifications: naturally more error prone?

Journal article

Epigenetic DNA modifications are essential for normal cell function in vertebrates, but they can also be hotspots of mutagenesis. Methylcytosine in particular has long been known to be less stable than other nucleotides and spontaneously deaminates to thymine. Beyond this well-established phenomenon, however, the influence of epigenetic marks on mutagenesis has recently become an active field of investigation. In this review, we summarize current knowledge of the interactions between different DNA modifications and other mutagenic processes. External mutagens, such as UV light or smoking carcinogens, affect modified cytosines differently from unmodified ones, and modified cytosine can in some cases be protective rather than mutagenic. Notably, cell-intrinsic processes, such as DNA replication, also appear to influence the mutagenesis of modified cytosines. Altogether, evidence is accumulating to show that epigenetic changes have a profound influence on tissue-specific mutation accumulation.

Authors: Tomkova, M; Schuster-Boeckler, P

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Cell Press
• Journal: Trends in Genetics
• Volume: 34
• Issue: 8
• Pages: 627-638
• Publication date: 2018-05-28
• Acceptance date: 2018-04-27
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2018.04.005
• ISSN: 0168-9525
• Keywords: mutagenesis; 5-hydroxymethylcytosine; DNA modifications; CpG dinucleotides; 5-methylcytosine